Korean Job Discussion Forums

Dev · Joined: 18 Apr 2006

I have just filled in the shoes of an American teacher that worked in my new public school. In her desk and in her apartment, she left behind bottles of Purell, that gel-like hand sanitizer.

Call me a dirty bastard, but I never worry about germs on my hands. I rarely even wash my hands before eating. Despite this, I seldom catch colds or anything. I feel that most public sinks are probably germ-ridden anyway, so using them might be counterproductive. Only those sensor type faucets where you don't have to turn on the water by touching the faucet are truly clean. But how many places have those? I'd rather skip the hand washing.

I think using products like Purell might actually be bad for you because your immiune system doesn't get "practice". What do you think?

Corporal · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Yes, I have big bottles at work and I always have a small one in my purse. It's not just to disinfect from the hagwon monkeys--you can use it if your hands get sticky after eating and there's no water around.

I'd rather use it than touch the dirty faucets at my school. Which only have cold water anyway. The ajuma who cleans them uses the same rag for everything.

seoulsucker · Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 7:09 pm Post subject:

I always use it at work...little germ factories running around sneezing all over the place.

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

I used it a lot in China. Not so much here.

Lizara · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Location: Seoul

I'm far from OCD about such things, but I always wash/sanitize my hands before lunch and when I get home from work, and after I've been out on the subways or buses as well. I've seen enough people picking their noses, scratching themselves, not washing their hands after using the bathroom...

seoulsucker · Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 7:53 pm Post subject:

Yo!Chingo · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: Seoul Korea

It's amazing how many people I see not washing their hands after going to the restroom Shocked

. I was a sanitarian for 5 years and the best and easiest way to keep healthy is to WASH YOUR HANDS! Agreed some people do have great constitutions and almost never get sick, but what about those other people around you? You're shaking people's hands and making food at times right?

Most people don't realize that 40% of their feces is actually bacteria, and that the human hand is positively crawling with life. If you actually start reading up on hand sanitizer you'll find that it's only effective if your hands are already free of debris...i.e they're clean. Anything on the hand like dirt or fecal matter will hinder the effectiveness of these sanitizers and pretty much do a darn thing.

I do use them, but only after I wash my hands.

Dev · Joined: 18 Apr 2006